Marcel LeJeune built one of the world's largest Catholic campus ministries from scratch. Now he coaches parishes. On 18 July, he brings that hard-won wisdom to the Parish Renewal Conference.

When Marcel LeJeune arrived at St Mary's Catholic Centre at Texas A&M University in 2006, he inherited a ministry with two priests, a part-time deacon, a leaking roof, and no budget to speak of. By the time he left 11 years later, there were 63 staff, a $3.5 million budget, state-of-the-art facilities, 5,000 students at Sunday Mass, and fifteen students entering the priesthood or religious life each year.

Now the founder and president of Catholic Missionary Disciples, an international coaching organisation dedicated to forming disciple-makers who make disciple-makers, LeJeune has taken that playbook to parishes and dioceses across the United States and beyond. On 18 July, he brings it to Sydney as a guest speaker at the Parish Renewal Conference, hosted by the Parish Renewal Team within the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation.

They have spent more than a decade sitting with the messiness of marriage and family life and finding in it not failure, but the very path to holiness. Now Mike and Alicia Hernon, founders of the Messy Family Project and hosts of one of America's most beloved Catholic family podcasts, are coming to Sydney in May, bringing with them a message that Catholic parents across Australia desperately need to hear: you are not failing, and you are not alone.

As Sydney welcomes the return of Dr Christopher West, the world's most passionate and influential voice on St John Paul II's Theology of the Body, the prominent Catholic author, speaker and theologian spoke to The Catholic Weekly, about his 2026 tour. Dr West, whose work has reached hundreds of thousands around the globe is, once again, bringing his deep knowledge of St John Paul II's teachings to Sydney audiences in a series of appearances in January, for the Life Marriage and Family team, within the Sydney Centre for Evanglisation. As Dr West reveals, this visit is much more than another tour; it's an opportunity to continue carrying the torch of St John Paul II's groundbreaking catechesis.

Daniel Ang is the Director of the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, in the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, where he leads strategic efforts to renew parish life and advance the churches evangelising mission. He lead the development and now manages the implementation of Go Make Disciples, the archdiocese's mission plan. Ang appeared at the Alpha Catholic conference in October, 2025, delivering an engaging, thought provoking key note speech, entitled: 'A Hope That Sends: Living Faith and Transforming Parish Life'. He challenged participants to be a people whose "hope acts and becomes flesh". Here is his keynote speech in its entirety.

With her deep knowledge of human behaviour and armed with a passion for bringing people to Christ, Sister Elena Marie Piteo's journey is a powerful testament to the integration of psychology and faith as a tool for evangelisation. A Dominican Sister of St Cecilia with a PhD in psychology and a passion for helping others flourish in faith. Sr Elena's work at Aquinas College, sees her combine her passion for the integration of contemporary psychology, science, mental health with her Catholic faith. Sr Elena was a guest speaker at the 'Way of Hope' Alpha Catholic Conference in October, 2025, offering this encouragement: "Don't be afraid. God desires to give you His very self. So come with an open and generous heart and you may be surprised by the gifts of God's Grace.".

Since being named Bishop of Christchurch in 2022, Bishop Michael Gielen has a proven track record of success in inspiring and nurturing parish renewal leadership within his archdiocese. It was this message of hope and practical evangelisation, that Bishop Michael brought to the 'Way of Hope' Alpha conference in late October, 2025. It all began as a young priest, leading communities through the devastation of the 2011 earthquakes. Bishop Gielen learnt that rebuilding parish communities requires both physical and spiritual renewal. but his message is clear: "Transformation is possible. It can be done."

Sr Miriam James Heidland's faith journey from a successful college athlete with a party-girl lifestyle to a deeply religious life as a nun, has seen her become a world-wide media symbol of hope for anyone seeking a deeper relationship with Christ. Through her podcasts, You Tube channel and bestselling books, Sr Miriam's honest conversations about her troubled past, her path to faith, spirituality, and personal growth, resonates with thousands around the world, especially women, whose interest in her story continues to grow. Sr Miriam's ministry, includes work with the Friends of the Bridegroom Ministry, which she shares with Fr John Burns, a beloved Catholic author and speaker from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in the United States. She and Fr John were interviewed for the 'Grace Abounds' podcast, ahead of their tour of Sydney in 2025, as guests of the Life, Marriage and Family team, within the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation.